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Engineering

Rooftop solar panels impact temperatures during the day and night in cities, simulation study shows

Widespread coverage of building rooftops with conventional photovoltaic solar panels may increase temperatures on hot days and lower them at night, says new modeling.

Automotive

Tesla's Cybercab: Elon Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'

Elon Musk on Thursday unveiled what he said was a robotaxi capable of self-driving, predicting it would be available by 2027—about a decade after he first promised an autonomous vehicle.

Computer Sciences

AI-powered software narrates surroundings for visually impaired in real time

A world of color and texture could soon become more accessible to people who are blind or have low vision, via new software that narrates what a camera records.

Engineering

Hypersaline brine produced by fracking has left us in a pickle, but new process could help dry it up

Seemingly miraculous innovations have made it possible to slake the ever-growing thirsts of our industrial society. Need more energy? Frack it from deep-bedded rocks. Fresh water? Desalinate ocean flows. Precious metals? ...

Hardware

Operating a 'smart home' by breath control

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have created a simple prototype device that enables users to control "smart home" technology by changing their breathing patterns.

Electronics & Semiconductors

Future smart homes could be powered with electronics built on stones

What if you could power the smart thermostats, speakers and lights in your home with a kitchen countertop? Stones, such as marble and granite, are natural, eco-friendly materials that many people building or renovating houses ...

Computer Sciences

AI as a 'wise counsel' for synthetic biology

Machine learning is transforming all areas of biological science and industry, but is typically limited to a few users and scenarios. A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology led by Tobias ...

Robotics

Responsive soft robots inspired by sputtering ketchup bottle

A smartly designed pressure valve allows soft robots to respond to their environment without the need for computer control, reveal AMOLF researchers in their article in the journal Matter. That brings robots with natural ...

Electronics & Semiconductors

Smart textiles sense how their users are moving

Using a novel fabrication process, MIT researchers have produced smart textiles that snugly conform to the body so they can sense the wearer's posture and motions.

Business

Tracking crypto pump-and-dump operations on social media

The practice is unethical, yet not illegal per the SEC. Cryptocurrency scammers have found a way to make a quick profit through social media platforms like Twitter and Telegram, using the pump and dump method. In short: they ...

Engineering

Harnessing the sun to disinfect water

Poor access to safe drinking water is a major issue for a third of the world's population, especially for those living in rural areas. Because of the abundant sunlight in many of these regions, solar disinfection technology ...

Robotics

Human-like robots may be perceived as having mental states

When robots appear to engage with people and display human-like emotions, people may perceive them as capable of "thinking," or acting on their own beliefs and desires rather than their programs, according to research published ...